Shinobi the booze hound

Shinobi's had a few too many...

(Coldest March in 60 years)

Pished

Birthday

It was my birthday yesterday but for some reason the day resolved entirely around Shinobi - ha! We took her to Lydford Gorge in Dartmoor to check out some beautiful waterfalls. She did really well, ate some icicles, had a paddle in the river...one waterfall scared the living daylights out of her and she wouldn't go anywhere near it -  it's called the Devil's Cauldren and it is pretty huge and loud! Scaredy cat Shiba.

Shinobi likes fresh flowing spring water

Natural Shinobi toys

Ha! Unimpressed as usual

'Get me the hell outta here!'

Shinobi don't eat that!

This is the most ridiculous photo of Shinobi (and possibly any dog) of all time. Shinobi got her first taste of sheep poo today and apparently this is gormet for Shiba's. She went nutso for it. We actually had to leave because she kept eating it :/

Stormy! I would just like all people living in sunny places to take a moment to appreciate how lucky they are! This gloom has been upon us since September.

Princess Shinobi in King Arthur's Castle - Tintagel

Annoyingly fuzzy photo but up so high we saw hawks hovering ready to swoop on their prey. I had to hold Shinobi back from hurtling herself off the cliff to catch it!

Goldilocks

or should that be gingerlocks...

 Shinobi is annoyed that my alarm went off before 9am. She hates anything before 9am

Whose that I spy in my bed?!

'Who me?'

Shinobi thinks she's people

Shinobi the mermaid

We went on much too long of a walk with Shinobi at the weekend - accidentally ('Cornish miles', as they're known, equal about 3 miles for every 1 mile in the real world). Poor baby! She did very well however and even had a dip in the sea!

And we even had an amazing incident on this walk! We found a beach about half way round and decided to rest there for a while. My husband decided to take Shinobi to the sea whilst I sat a long way off sunbathing. Now, my husband - much against my will I might add - took Shinobi off her lead to play fetch with her (having had some 'success' with her off lead other times I wasn't around to protest).

I could just see them silhouetted on the horizon and had just clocked that she was lead less so was fully alert and sitting up by this point. Predictably, when my husband chucked the stick (well, seaweed shaped stick, he had to improvise) Shinobi ran in the opposite direction. My heart in my chest now I tried to remain calm and will her towards me.

And that is exactly what she did! She ran arrow straight right into my lap for a big hug and a triumphant 'did you see me off my lead running?' expression in her little face (I might have imagined that). But to me, it was just like a toddler doing something independently and running to their mother for approval.

It has been suggested that Shinobi is my 'baby substitute' right now and that I am possibly 'personifying her' a little to much and to that I say....well yes probably. I'm becoming somewhat of a recluse and very reluctant to leave my house! But I love her with all my heart and everyday our bond gets stronger.

So, enough of me. Here are some more Shinobi pictures (unfortunately my camera sucks in sunlight; the pictures are bad). Also, these first ones are nothing to do with the weekend. Just some snaps from the evening walk around the university campus we do with Shinobi.

Riddles with rabbits so Shinobi goes mental sniffing in the grass

 

Shinobi always takes some persuading to walk over this long lit up bridge  

Big smile reflection

Once again in my puffer jacket making an amusingly big butted shadow

Shinobi got her hands (mouth) on a crab. This is her enraged and indignent expression when I took it off her. Probably the only time I've witnessed any kind of 'resource guarding' type behaviour. Crabs sure do taste good!

 Posing triumphantly near the end of our walk. Shinobi is getting a bum like Arnold Schwartzenegger - she is a little muscly pup!

Hypothyroid disease and an energetic Shiba

I have hypothyroid disease, recently diagnosed and not yet on treatment. Tomorrow I go back to the doctors for yet more blood tests, this time to rule out scarier conditions such as Lupus. Once I get the (hopefully) all clear, I can start my 'life changing' meds. Hypothyroid disease, even mild (as mine is, verging on borderline) is robbing me of my happiness. Everyday I get more tired and my mood gets blacker. I feel bleak. I get confused easily. I can't remember what I did yesterday. For someone who is also recovering from an eating disorder and most comfortable in my skin when about 14 pounds underweight (however physically unhealthy this may be), the progressive and unshiftable weight gain (however trivial it may seem) is driving me insane. I eat well, I exercise, I am always hungry; I put on weight. It is infuriating.

The main problem of course is that I find it increasingly difficult to wake up in the mornings before work to take Shinobi on walks. I walk her in a half awake state, joints aching and shivering. I am no longer enjoying our morning walks. I also fall asleep almost immediately when I get home from work, often at around 8pm. I walk Shinobi, I am exhausted. For someone who used to go to the gym 2 hours a day after work, and run quite comfortably 10 miles in little more than an hour; I feel lifeless.

I've heard that the meds take a long time to make a person feel better, if they do at all. Although I religiously walk Shinobi, I would like to be able to walk her without it wiping me out for the rest for the day. She's only going to need more exercise as she gets older. I hope that my diagnosis and meds will help us enjoy our energetic time together again.

And now the important bit, photos of Shinobi! Enjoying our visit to a scultpure garden with my family:-

Getting happier and more confident on car journeys.

Sitting in the middle to watch the road

 Swerving

A little unbrella snack

A hole in the ceiling

Trying to shelter from the rain. Shinobi loves the rain, she likes to roll in wet grass

Pin hole camera

A scultpure representing oppression in society...somehow...